Wednesday’s First Edition: MWC Leading Playoff? UNC Probe Closing

The Department of Justice inquiry letter to the Bowl Championship Series sparked talk of antitrust. I blogged an antitrust case lacked legs because no legitimate alternative to the system had been put forth. Well, the first rumblings of a realistic alternative are emanating from the Mountain West. Though in its very early stages, that a Division I Bowl Subdivision conference and the most successful of the non-automatic qualifiers is spearheading the discussion is the biggest step toward transforming the football postseason since the BCS was implemented.

Now is a perfect storm for the supporters of postseason reform. Other alternatives have been floated in the past, but never with a plan like MWC commissioner Craig Thompson appears to have in mind. Furthermore, the DOJ inquiry and recent misconduct uncovered within the Fiesta Bowl committee give the movement fuel — rocket fuel.

Certain important questions can, and certainly will be hashed out through this process. With a non-AQ conference at the forefront, seemingly the most important question and my greatest concern for a playoff is structuring an alternative postseason in such a way that it doesn’t just become a new format for the Old Guard to exclude up-and-comers. Working out that requires some tricky maneuvering, as the driving force behind the BCS’s existence is television revenue. The big dollar television contracts are shaped by the traditional powerhouses, so when push comes to shove, there’s little keeping a playoff from becoming the BCS Conference Invitational.

Conversely, shaping the alternative around the five non-AQs — the MWC, WAC, Sun Belt, MAC and C-USA — essentially splits Division I into three divisions. The non-AQs would then only alienate themselves from the programs that earn them important pay days. Would the non-AQ tournament work as a Championship League to the Big Six’s Premiere League?

These are questions that must be ironed out moving forward. The MWC is captaining a ship in choppy waters, because the wrong move will leave the Boise States and UCFs of the football world stranded on an island far from their intended destination.

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The North Carolina-Gary Wichard-John Blake fiasco — remember that? — and its ensuing NCAA investigation could be wrapped up by month’s end according to the Associated Press. What was the scandal of last summer took backseats in recent months to the Cam Newton controversy, Oregon’s potential misuse of a recruiting service and Ohio State. But the UNC agent allegations were a significant event. Arguably the best Tar Heel, Marvin Austin, was lost as a result and the team’s state of flux kept a conference championship talent level team out of the title chase. If more bad news is to come, it should come down the pipe shortly. Stay tuned.